Leatherlike surfaced fabric and process of making same.



E. WEINHEIM.

LEATHERLIKE SURFAGED FABRIC AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T.3, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909:

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coating of patina of the desired thickness and amass]; STATES PATENT OFFICE, I

EMIL WEINHEIM, ofF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LEATEEBLIKE SURFACED FABRK} AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME.

Be it known that I, EMIL WEINHEIM, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, county, city, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leatherlike-Surfaced Fabrics and Processes of Making Same, as set-forth'in the following speci- I fication.

This invention relates to a leatherlikesurfaced fabric and the process of making-the same.

The object of this invention is to formj a water resisting finish surface upon a pre- .vlously'prepared commercial fabric such as,

textile fabric or tough paper supplied in bolts or rolls. The process applies to the manner of treating the fabric preparatory to applying the finish coating; to the manner of applying coating; and to the composition of l the coating itself called a patina.

One object of the invention is to employ such a patina that it will thoroughly embody and incorporate itself about and upon the surface fibers of the fabric and may be insolubilized in situ, that is, when it has become incorporated with the surface fibers of thefabric, although it was more or less soluble before application.

Provision 1s made for applying an even for scrubbing it-into and over the surface of the fabric.

It is a further object of the mventrontoprovide -for the continuous QIICl PXOgIGSSIYB. commercial production of the coated fabr c 1 in strips of any desired length rather than in 1 sheets of definite dimensions.

In carrying out the process a solut on of dichromate of potassium may first be incori porated in and about the surface fibers of the surface of the-strip to be coated with the patina. -The strip is then 'thorou hly dried and the coating of atina of specia composition is subsequent y applied to the surface impregnated with dichromate of potassium. The patina is rendered insoluble by the di chromate of potassium under the influence of heat and pressure.

, The above and further objects of the mvention will be pointed out in the accompanying claims and will be clear from the following description read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of this application and in which the single Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 3,

. 'contained'in a suitable trough 6.

Patented June 29, 1909.

1908. Serial No. 456,952.

apparatus for carrying out the process:

1 designates a'roll of any'suitable commercial fabric 2 which may be common drill, other strong textile fabric or tough paper fabric. This fabric may be dyed any desired color or undyed if desired. The fabric is illustrated as first passing between the vertically positioned rolls 3 and 4, of which the doctor roll 4 is shown partially immersed figure is a diagrammatic representation of in a solution of dichromate of potassium 5 The roll 4 appliesan even coating of the dichromate of potassium solution to the under side of the strip 2. The strip 2 then passes over and under suitablyheated drying rolls 7 and 8 where the water in the dichromate solution is dried out leaving a crystalline deposit of dichromate of potassium in and about the fibers of the surface 9 of the strip 2. The surface of the strip thus treated is termed by the The strip 2 then passes about a large heated cylinapplicant a dichromatized surface.

der 10 driven independently in the direction of the arrow. Beneath the roll 10 is a suitable tank or trough 11 filled with a suitable patina of-the desired color and composition. The-preferable composition is what may be termed a leatherfying composition and will.

subsequently be described. The doctor roll 13 is partially immersed in the patina 1 2 and is driven independently of the roll 10 in the direction of the arrow. The doctor roll 13 may be adjusted horizontally by the means 14 and it may be adjusted vertically bythe means 15. Throughout both its horizontal and vertical adjustment, its movement -is parallel to itself and to the axis of large cylinder 10. The vertical adjustment serves to regulate the degree of immersion in the patina of the doctor roll 13 and the consequent thickness of the coat of patina carried by the doctor roll. The horizontal adjustment-determines the pressure with which the doctor roll contacts with the strip 2. One or more brushes 16 are positioned so as to contact with the patinated surface 9 of the strip 2 while the strip is still in contact with the/lat e heated cylinder 10. These brushes may mounted to play in a vertical'guide 17 hori zontally'adjusted by the means 18. The pitman and link- 19 and 20, which may suitably be driven, impart an up and down scrubbing motion to the brushes lfiwhile the horizontal adjusting means 18 may serve to-regulate the Q eaaeae pressure of the brushes upon the strip 2. The scrubbing of the brushes isback, and forth in the direction of the movement of the strip 2.

.The strip 2 passes from the heated cylinder 10 and from the brushes 16 to an. idler or i and 25, etc., placed across an intermittently driven endless chain 26 suitably supported. The fabric 2 droops down in festoons 27, 28,

' '29 etc., between the rods 23, 24 and 25, etc.

patina.

When thus festooned the fabric is subjected to a heated drying atmosphere to dry out the it is to be understood that thefabric, thus treated by one passage through the apparatus illustrated, may be again treated in the same manner to increase the density of the coating of patina or it may receive a subsequent coating of patina Without first being treated with the dichromate of potassium. it is also to lie understood that for some purposes the fabric may be treated just as described but with the omission of the initial treatment by dichromate of potassium. I It should also be understood that any substance having the equivaorigln.

lent efiect of dichromate of potassium upon the patina may be employed in place thereof. A desirable composition for the patina and which is well designated a leatherfying composition may be as follows: 1. Suitable coloring matters, preferably mineral. 2. Viscous animal parts, such as bone glue, glutin and other glutinous matter of animal 3. Vegetable oils, such as palm oil, olive oil and others. 4. Hydro-carbons, such as parafin, Vaseline, bitumen or others.

- 5. Metallic salts, such as hydrated oxid ofzinc, potassium, lead and aluminum; 6. Animal fats, such as tall'ow, suet and others. 7. Suitable saponifyin agents, such as s6- dium and potassium al alies.

The various ingredients enumerated may be employed in various proportions easily determined by experimentbut their various proportions should be such as to render the resultant composition sufficiently fluid at approximately to Fahrenheit for satisfactory'application to the strip by means of the doctor roll. Selections from the first six sets of ingredients may be kneaded and mixed together under the influence of heat in a suitable vessel and then one of the seventh set of ingredients added; or'if desired various changes in the selection of elements from those enumerated or from their equivalents may be made as desired.

in some instances it may be desirable to heat the patina 12 while in the trough 11 to lreep it fluid although for commercial operation it maybe found that the heat from the large cylinder lh'will keep it Warm enough. This cylinder it) should be heated to a considerable temperature upward ofSO" Fahrenheit enough to cause the dichroma'te of potassium to insolubilize the patina but in- I sufficient to injure the fabric passing over same. -Vlfhite light also aids the process.

After a sufliciently homogeneous coating of patina has been applied as described, the strip thus coated may have a coating of varnish applied to the surface to give it the desired luster. The varnish may be applied in an apparatus similar to that shown in the figure but, of course, without the application of dichromate of potassium. A suitable varnish for the purpose may be formed of a solution of casein substances, vegetable'oils,

fatty acids such as olein or the like, and a suitable saponifying agent.

After the coating of varnish has been thoroughly dried the finish surface of the strip may then be calendered by any suitable calender such as a cylinder calender preferably heated. If desired a final coating of a watery solution of formaldehyde and alcohol may beapplied to boththe finished surface of the fabric and to the unfinished surface of the fabric or to one or the other only. This treatment with formaldehyde compacts the surface of the product. The fabric should then be redried when it will be found thatit is moisture resistin to a large degree and resembles finished eather on its finished surface and in a measure possesses the qualities of leather, of course, within the structural limits of th body fabric employed.

T he chief object of this invention is to produce a very cheapproduct having many desired qualities such as comparative durability and leather like appearance.

When the fabric strip is first treated with dichromate of potassium before the application of the patina, the patina forms a very close union with the fabric and is impervious to moisture and consequently will resist peeling off to a great degree. The fabric with such a finish does not require a coating of varnish or of formaldehyde to render it insoluble or impervious to moisture although such acoating may be employed to add luster to the finish. Insoluble means insoluble in water. g

Coatings which rely entirely upon varnish coatings to render them impervious to moisture are radically difi'erent from the fabric with an insoluble coating which I have described. A. surface coating of varnish is more or less subject to cracking and wherever cracked the underlying patina is readily attacked by penetrating moisture.

Although a complete description of the llll steps of this invention has been given, it is to through progressive steps,-first coating the surface to be finished with a solution of dichromate of potassium; effecting a deposit of dichromate of potassium by drying out the water in solution; applying an even coating of a patina of more or less soluble leatherfying composition to the said surface; compacting and incorporating said atina onto and into said surface under the in uence of heat to insolubilize said patina; and subjecting the coated fabric to a heated drying atmosphere.

2. The process of producing a leatherlike surfaced fabric comprising, continuously passing a continuous strip of artificial fabric 25.through progressive steps,first coating the surface to be finished with a'solution of di chromate of potassium; eifecting a deposit of dichromate of potassium by drying out the water in solution; ap lying an even coating of patina of more or iess soluble leatherfying composition to the said surface; compacting and incorporating said patina onto and into said surface under the influence of heat to insolubilize said patina; and subjecting the coated fabric to a heated drying atmosphere; applying a superposed coat of varnish; and again drying the product.

3. The process of producing a leatherlike surfaced fabric comprising, the continuous progressive steps,ap lying to the surface of the fabric to be ished a coating of patina comprising a saponified, suitably colored leatherfying composition of animal parts and oily matter; incorporating said patina in and upon the surface fibers of said fabric under heat and scrubbing pressure; drying the product under the influence of heat; applying a superposed coat of-saponified varnish; redrying; and calendering said patina coated surface.

4. The process of producing a leatherlike surfaced fabric comprising the continuous progressive steps,drying a suitable fabric; applying an even coating of patina comprising, mineral coloring matter, viscous animal parts, vegetable oil, animal fat, hydrocarbon, metallic oxid and a saponifying agent; subjecting the coating of patina to "a scrubbing pressure under the influence of heat to effect its compacting upon and incorporation with the surface of said fabric; and drying the product under the influence of heat and the atmosphere.

5. As an article of manufacture a leatherlike surfaced fabric comprising a body of suitable artificial fabric having a dichromatized surface; a closely compacted and incorporated coating of suitable colored patina com rising a saponified mixture of viscous and eatherfying animal parts, vegetable oil, animal fat, hydro-carbon and metallic oxid and insolubilized in situ upon the said dichromatized surface.

6. As an article of manufacture a leatherlike surfaced fabric comprising a -body of suitable artificial fabric having a dichromatized surface; a closely compacted and incorporated coating of suitably colored patina com rising a saponified mixture of viscous and eatherfying animal parts, vegetable oil,

animal fat, hydro-carbon and metallic oxid.

and insolubilized in situ upon said dichromatized surface; and a coating of saponified casein varnish.

7. As an article of manufacture a leatherlike surfaced fabric comprisin a body of suitable artificial fabric; a c osely compacted and incorporated coating of suitably colored patina comprising a saponified mixture of viscous and leatherfying animal parts, vegetable oil, animal fat, hydrocarbon and metallic oxid; and a saponified coating of saponified case in varnish, the finished fabric having a formaldehyde compacted exterior surface.

8. As an article of manufacture a leather-. like surfaced fabric comprising a body of suitable artificial fabric having a surface irnpregnation of dichromate of potassium; a sultably colored coating of patina compacted upon said dichromate treated surface and in partial combination with said dichromate,- said patina comprising a sa onified mixture of viscous animal parts, oify matter and a metallic oxid, said coating of patina being water insoluble throughout.

9. As an article of manufacture a leatherlike surfaced fabric comprising a body of suitable artificial fabric having a surface impregnation of dichromate of potassium; a suitably colored coating of patina compacted upon said dichromate treatedsurface and in partial combination with said di chromate, said patina comprising a saponified mixture of viscous anlmal parts, vegetable oil, animal fat, hydro-carbon and a metallic oxid, said coating of patina being water insoluble throughout.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMIL WEINHEIM.

Witnesses:

LEONARD DAY, EDSON B. SAMMIS. 

